Dear Senator Clinton,
Several months ago I was very impressed when I heard you say that when elected, even before you took office you were going to go around the world and tell leaders of other nations that the “era of cowboy diplomacy is over”. When I heard you say those words, I said to myself, “at last we have a candidate who will bring us back from a war culture, to a culture where war and violence against other people and countries is no longer the latest mantra.” I thought that after eight long years of fear and insecurity, there was a possibility that we would focus our energy and resources on education, health, transportation, business growth and ending poverty and hunger in our own country.

So I was dismayed when I heard you talk about obliterating Iran. My hope was that by electing you or Obama we would eliminate or greatly reduce the “threats of war, destroying countries and people” from our cultural lexicon

I have a son in middle school and I am often around kids of all ages. I have been privy to conversations between kids where they talk about killing, dying by violence, and their fear of being blown up or going to war.

I have personally been affected by violence and loss of life, and now I see young people who have gotten desensitized to fighting, shooting, and other types of violence as a way of solving problems. I have heard kids say that nothing matters that much because we are all going to get blown up at some point, and that nuclear war is inevitable. I have heard and seen their fear and insecurity of growing up in this world. I have heard young children ask, “if the war is coming here.”

How do we tell our kids that it is wrong to threaten other people, or tell them that they have to find ways to resolve differences amongst themselves without resorting to violence?” I believe in self-defense for countries and individuals when necessary. I teach my son that it’s important to defend himself when necessary, but that threats only create more tension and. posturing, and can result unnecessary violence. When individuals or countries feel strong and in power, threats are not necessary. How can we be shocked and outraged at violence in our communities if we don’t set an example in our actions and our words?

Let’s think about creating the kind of world in which we want to live. I want my country and my world to be the kind of places where my son can grow up and not be afraid of other people because of who they are, and in turn they will not be afraid of my son because of who he is.

Do you really want to present yourself as the kind of person who cavalierly threatens to wipe out a country with it’s women and children, and elderly. There is a democratic, reformist movement in Iran, but when you threaten to obliterate the whole country, you force people in that movement to support the government that they don’t like and that they are trying to change, because they become anxious and afraid of being attacked.

Senator Clinton, I don’t think that you are a person who is anxious to go to war with another country, and I’m sure you care about our own internal needs. You have said that you want our country to go in the right direction, and to once more be respected as world leaders. I urge you to think the impact your words have on the people who hear them. This is a challenging economic time for many working people. These challenges and economic insecurity affect our children, and everyone else around us. In your position, and in your campaign you can play a pivotal role in turning around the culture of fear that has built up over the last eight years, and help bring us back to a culture of security, and optimism where we can work together and consciously choose life.

Very Sincerely,
Simma Lieberman